


Demonic

by xAoneko



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: BAMF xiumin, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Demons, Introspection, M/M, Slayers, exploration of humanity, historical setting, suchen survive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:22:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24159571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xAoneko/pseuds/xAoneko
Summary: A demon of lightning saves Junmyeon from death, and Junmyeon realizes that he has met this demon before.
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Junmyeon | Suho, broken Baeksoo
Comments: 16
Kudos: 67
Collections: Beautiful Accidents Fest 2020





	Demonic

**Author's Note:**

> Self-prompt for Round 1 of Beautiful Accidents Fest.
> 
>  **Author's Note:** Thank you to the mod for running this fest and being a supportive mod! You made writing for this fest an enjoyable experience <3 To the readers, this piece didn't turn out exactly how I planned, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

The demons have been around for over two hundred years now.

It started with the discovery of chewed skeletons, some picked clean while others still had bits of rotting flesh attached to the dark red patches of bone. At first, people thought there was a new bestial species that preyed on humans, so they began setting more traps, reinforcing their fences, and increasing patrols. No animal would make it past without getting seriously injured.

Except one did, and it was nothing like people had thought. After breaking down the door to the butcher’s house, nobody expected to see the lanky figure of a man crouched over an unmoving, half-eaten body. The people stared with wide eyes and hanging jaws as the man dug his fingers into the bloody mass, gouging out a lump of flesh before chewing on it like a starving dog.

That was the first sighting of a demon, and it seemed as though that was the trigger for hell to break loose. Incidents began popping up like weeds in spring, where people would catch demons in the middle of feeding. Sometimes, if a witness was unlucky enough, the demon would be hungry enough to hunt and kill them, too.

Out of desperation and fear, some people tried to kill the demons, but to their horror, the demons were far too fast and strong to be so easily captured. To add to their despair, the weapons of iron and wood that they brought did nothing to stop a demon, not even when the blade had cut out the demon’s heart. Nothing they tried to do could stop a demon unless they managed to bind it from head to toe in chains, but that was an impossible feat considering how much of an advantage the demons had over humans.

Luckily, this despair didn’t last long because a few months later, the crown prince of the Wu Kingdom accidentally discovered the demons’ weakness when he tried to defend himself from a demon with a silver curtain rod. In its frenzied hunger, the demon hurled itself upon the rod, impaling itself through the chest before it fell to the ground, let out a few choked gurgles, and died.

From then on, men were no longer afraid to confront demons. With their boosted morale, people – who called themselves slayers – began to form groups whose sole purpose was to hunt down and kill demons. Upon seeing this, the crown prince of Wu organized a research project that would end up empowering the people further and give them a fighting chance against demons.

However, at the same time the humans adapted to kill demons, a demon evolved to surpass the humans again. Snow began to fall in the middle of the warm season, covering the newly bloomed irises with a fresh blanket of cold. The demon descended from the sky, floating down with such ethereal grace and elegance that the people had thought he was a god, and then the demon gazed down upon the people and their hope and turned them into frozen statues.

New whispers began to crawl through the land, speaking of a demon called Fallen Snow who brought down slayer after slayer with an unprecedented power over ice. The other demons flocked to Fallen Snow’s feet for protection, and following Fallen Snow’s lead, more demons with powers rose to cull the ranks of the slayers, thus earning themselves names such as Infernal Black and Nightfall Harbinger.

Once again, humanity despaired, but as they were on the brink of giving up, Fallen Snow disappeared, taking the harsh frosts and summer blizzards with him. Like children chasing after a fluttering butterfly, the other elite demons slowly made their presence scarce as well until they became mere stories passed down from generation to generation.

With the most powerful of demons gone, most people dare to hope that maybe – just maybe – there is a higher power looking out for them after all. Others, slayers especially, suspect that Fallen Snow and the other elite demons are up to something, unable to forget the reign of cold terror that the demon had held over them for seven years.

Frankly, as the rebels drag him through the forest, Junmyeon thinks that he would prefer dying to Fallen Snow during the Cold Years over letting his captors humiliate him time and time again. Even now, the ruffians laugh at him as he stumbles across the uneven ground, gripping Junmyeon’s arms hard enough to leave bruises. Junmyeon’s feet scuff through the leaves littering the forest floor, and then the ground beneath his left foot disappears. He lands awkwardly, and his ankle twists, sending pain shooting up his leg as he drops to one knee.

A rough hand pulls him back up and shoves him, and this time, Junmyeon falls. His back scrapes against what feels like the uneven bark of a tree, but Junmyeon can’t tell. The blindfold covering his eyes barely allows a few feeble rays of light to peek through, but he can hear his captors milling about and talking to each other, discussing whether they have walked far enough into the forest to kill him.

Junmyeon just wishes they would hurry up and kill him like they did with his parents. He swears that he can feel something watching him, and he would rather have his head chopped clean off rather than letting a pack of wild dogs tear him apart while he’s still alive.

Thanks to the blindfold, Junmyeon thinks his hearing is a little sharper because his ears pick up the muted sound of a squelch off somewhere to his left. There is no pause in the chattering of his captors, so he figures that either they didn’t hear the sound or it’s nothing worth being alarmed about, but the hairs on the back of Junmyeon’s neck don’t stop prickling.

The wet sounds continue for a couple more seconds, and then the screaming begins. Junmyeon flinches and curls in on himself as his captors start yelling. Heavy footsteps vibrate through the forest floor. Junmyeon, already dizzy from malnourishment, has to lean against a tree trunk to stay upright, gasping through his gag as he listens to the rebels shouting to each other.

“Hurry up and kill that thing!”

“Sir, it’s – it’s the Crimson Scorpion!”

“So what! It’s not like Fallen Snow himself is descending upon us! Besides, there’s only one! Kill him!”

The Crimson Scorpion is a familiar name. Even in the middle of a civil war, Junmyeon had heard the stories of a new elite demon who wore red and had power over lightning. Judging by the sounds of battle sounding around him, the Crimson Scorpion’s strength isn’t something to underestimate despite being the youngest elite demon in existence.

Despite his apathy towards his fate, a chill still runs up Junmyeon’s spine at the crunch of breaking bones and stuttered gurgles of the rebels choking on their own blood. The sounds of the dying fade as quickly as they began and Junmyeon knows he is the only one left as he kneels on the ground and curls his hands into fists to stop them from trembling. The salty tang of blood saturates the area, so concentrated that Junmyeon can taste the copper on his tongue. A leaf nearby rustles and Junmyeon tenses, knowing that the Crimson Scorpion is coming for him now.

His instincts scream at him to flee, but with his hands bound behind his back, a twisted ankle, a blindfold covering his eyes, and a gag impeding his breathing, Junmyeon wouldn’t even be able to take two steps before the Crimson Scorpion catches him and snaps his neck. He senses the demon kneeling next to him, and his heart pounds against his chest. Junmyeon waits for death with bated breath, wondering if the Crimson Scorpion will be merciful and kill him quickly.

Then, something sticky and warm is touching his face, leaving trails of drying blood across his cheeks. Junmyeon shudders as the Crimson Scorpion’s fingers skim over his skin and circles to the back of Junmyeon’s head. There is a moment where the demon messes with the knot of Junmyeon’s gag, and then the filthy rag is falling from Junmyeon’s mouth.

It feels good to be able to suck in an unobstructed breath, but Junmyeon barely registers the relief, still hyperaware of the Crimson Scorpion moving around him. The scuffing of leaves comes from behind Junmyeon now, and then the bloodstained fingers are gently untying the rope that binds Junmyeon’s wrists.

As Junmyeon’s arms fall to his sides, he wonders if this is some sort of game. The Crimson Scorpion, one of the most feared demons, comes and annihilates Junmyeon’s captors, and instead of killing Junmyeon as well, he’s setting Junmyeon free? Is he hoping to toy with Junmyeon, letting him struggle to escape before eventually devouring him?

Junmyeon’s ears are ringing now, and it almost covers up the crisp voice of the Crimson Scorpion saying, “Stand.”

Junmyeon doesn’t want to obey the command of a demon, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to because his legs don’t feel like they can support his weight. However, the Crimson Scorpion’s hand is wrapped firmly around his upper arm, pulling him up and steadying him until Junmyeon finds his balance. Junmyeon sways where he stands, legs trembling and ankle throbbing in protest. The ringing in his ears grows louder, and for a moment, Junmyeon swears the world is tilting. Then, he can’t hear anything anymore.

When Junmyeon wakes up, he doesn't register his surroundings for a moment. He sees the wooden ceiling of the room he is in and feels the softness of the sheets that he is lying on. A heavy blanket is covering him, and for the first time in what feels like forever, Junmyeon is warm.

The warmth is immediately doused when his brain catches up, and Junmyeon realizes that he has no idea where he is. He makes to bolt upright, but a dull pain shoots through his ankle, which is propped up on two pillows and bandaged tightly.

The covers fall away, and Junmyeon notices that someone had changed his clothes while he was unconscious. The deep blue robes that he had worn as the crown prince are gone, and white robes now cling to his thin frame. They feel light, as though a gentle breeze could easily strip them off Junmyeon's body and carry them away into the sky. For a moment, Junmyeon wonders who had taken care of him while he was out.

Then, the memories flood back like water breaking through a dam, and Junmyeon's breath stutters as he remembers the sensation of the Crimson Scorpion's bloody fingers caressing his cheek like a someone examining a cut of meat before taking a bite. His upper arm tingles as though those long fingers are still wrapped around it, pulling Junmyeon to his feet so the Crimson Scorpion would have an easier time sinking his teeth into the soft flesh of Junmyeon's neck and ripping out his throat.

Something moves around him, and Junmyeon immediately focuses on it. A pair of mismatched eyes – one blue and one black – look down at him, and the demon murmurs something that Junmyeon doesn’t quite catch. However, Junmyeon’s instincts are far more alert than his ears are, and when the demon leans closer and opens his mouth, Junmyeon flinches away and grabs the edge of the blanket as though it would protect him.

The demon frowns and retreats, and his white fangs vanish back behind thin lips. “How are you feeling?”

Junmyeon is shocked that a demon was asking him how he was, so he merely stares in response. Sighing in exasperation, the demon turns to the door and calls out, “He’s awake. Someone get the Crimson Scorpion!”

The creaking of the floorboards tells Junmyeon that whoever outside has scurried off, and the demon in the room with him leans back against the wall, keeping an eye on Junmyeon as though expecting the latter to run. Neither of them move as they stare at each other, looking like a pair of cats meeting for the first time.

It doesn’t take long for the creaking of the floorboards to return, this time with two sets of footsteps instead of one. The footsteps stop right outside Junmyeon’s room, and the sliding door opens just a crack. The demon watching Junmyeon finally breaks eye contact as he heads over to speak to the one outside. They converse in low voices for a few seconds, and then the demon is stepping out to allow the other to enter.

The Crimson Scorpion doesn't look at Junmyeon as he soundlessly slides the door shut and crosses to the other side of the room to push open the paper-framed doors that lead to a long balcony outside. Looking past the red figure, Junmyeon can see the smooth surface of calm waters, spotted with the occasional greens and pinks of lotuses. A speck of orange flicks beneath the pond before vanishing into the depths. A larger, white spot follows, and Junmyeon realizes that there are koi fish in the pool outside his room.

Finally, the Crimson Scorpion speaks, "It looks like the koi pool that you had back in the Golden Leaves Palace."

Startled, Junmyeon doesn't respond, but the demon doesn't seem to mind because he continues to talk. "I tried to replicate the lotuses, but those are hard to grow. Many of the ones I planted didn't sprout. I'm hoping to try again soon."

Indeed, the lotus flowers in this pool are sparse compared to the flowers back in the Golden Leaves Palace.

"I hope you don't mind the cattails over there." The man points at something on the far side of the pond, which Junmyeon can't see from where he is. "Lay-hyung says that they have herbal qualities if prepared correctly, so he wanted to grow some. He did promise to keep the plants contained to that side though, so most of the pool still looks like your old one."

At last, Junmyeon's voice returns. He coughs a few times as the dry walls of his throat rub against each other and asks, "Who are you?"

The Crimson Scorpion stiffens, fingers tensing around the frame of the door, but he doesn't answer, so Junmyeon asks another question. "How do you know what the Golden Leaves Palace was like?"

He sees the demon's fingers fidgeting, curling and uncurling around the wood, and then the red figure finally turns around to face Junmyeon. The Crimson Scorpion's blue eye is especially piercing as he gazes into Junmyeon's brown ones. "Do you still remember me, Junmyeon-hyung?"

Junmyeon doesn't dare reply at first, too shocked with what he is seeing to come up with anything to say. The demon had called him by his name and had spoken as though the two of them had met in the past, and for some reason, the demon's face does strike a chord of familiarity within Junmyeon. Curiosity overtakes the wariness in Junmyeon, and as he examines the Crimson Scorpion’s face, Junmyeon realizes that he does know someone who looks almost exactly like the demon.

"...Jongdae?" Junmyeon whispers.

The Crimson Scorpion inhales sharply but does not move or speak. Junmyeon shifts in bed, and in a stronger voice, he asks, "Are you...Jongdae?"

The demon swallows. "Is that...is that my actual name?" he replies.

Junmyeon blinks. “You don’t remember.” The slayers in his former country have always talked about how people would no longer recognize their names after becoming demons. Nobody knows why it happens, although a few have said that it represents the shedding of humanity in the process of becoming something monstrous. If the demon before him is Jongdae, then Junmyeon supposes that it isn’t surprising for there to be some confusion.

The Crimson Scorpion wears a contemplative expression as he stares at the floor. “Jongdae,” he murmurs, “And all these years, I’ve been calling myself Chen…”

Junmyeon isn’t sure what to feel. It has been five years since he last saw Jongdae before the other had up and vanished without a trace. He remembers getting on his horse and riding out to every nearby village to search for any clue about where Jongdae could have gone, promising himself that he wouldn’t go home until he brought Jongdae back. In the end, Junmyeon was forced to return to the Golden Leaves Palace emptyhanded because a civil war had broken out and his parents needed him home. Now that Jongdae is standing before him, not as a human but as a demon, Junmyeon thinks he should feel some relief that Jongdae is alive or disgust that Jongdae is now a monster, but his mind is too numb. In the end, Junmyeon only asks, “What happened to you?”

Jongdae scowls then, but to Junmyeon, it looks so much more like the pouting of a petulant child. "I realized that the rebels were up to something, so I tracked their movements. They knew that I was onto them, so they tricked me and tried to assassinate me. I almost died, but Xiumin-hyung found me and I asked him to turn me into a demon."

"You _asked_ to become a demon?" Junmyeon repeats.

Jongdae lifts his chin, and defiance sparks in his eyes. "Of course. Those traitors were planning to kill you. As a human, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything, but as a demon, I could go back and crush the rebels before they could kill you." Then, the fire in Jongdae’s eyes fade and his shoulders slump. "But it seems I am too late to protect your place on the throne."

Junmyeon feels guilty at that, knowing that he is the reason Jongdae chose to become a demon, forever doomed to eat human flesh and hide from slayers for the rest of his existence. However, it doesn’t look like Jongdae is seeking an apology from Junmyeon, so the latter isn’t sure how to respond.

"Do not worry about that," Junmyeon finally says, "I do not want the throne anymore."

Jongdae frowns. "What are you talking about? You always talked about what you wanted to do as the king. Why are you giving all of that up?"

Junmyeon looks down at his hands. The noblemen had thoroughly brainwashed the common people into thinking that Junmyeon’s family is no good, and what use is there in fighting for the throne when his subjects no longer want him to rule?

"It doesn't matter," Junmyeon says, "My parents are already dead, so it is just me now. I do not wish to fight with the rebels for the throne."

Jongdae crosses his arms. "If you are worried about not having an army, then I will fight for you. My subordinates will fight for you, too."

Junmyeon's blood turns cold as he imagines a horde of demons descending upon the defenseless people. Rivers of red stream from the demons' mouths as they bite down and tear out mouthfuls of flesh, devouring until there is nothing left.

"No," he says a little too quickly, "Don't bother yourself."

Jongdae's eyes narrow, but he doesn't say anything and merely uncrosses his arm with a sigh.

He doesn’t want to talk about his former home anymore, so Junmyeon looks around for a distraction and asks, "What is this place?"

Jongdae’s mouth twists. "It's the Moonlight Palace. Most of the demons live here. They won’t touch you," Jongdae reassures as though anticipating panicking from Junmyeon, "Fallen Snow and the other elite demons gave an order that no one is to harm you."

A mirthless huff escapes Junmyeon. It’s ironic, he supposes, that he should wish for Fallen Snow to kill him and free him from humiliation only for the demon to show up _after_ Junmyeon’s captors are already dead.

Meanwhile, Jongdae looks confused. “What’s so funny?”

Despite having just woken up not too long ago, Junmyeon can still feel the leaden weights of exhaustion dragging at his body. He folds his knees against his chest and rests his chin on them as he closes his eyes. “Just thinking about how I was hoping Fallen Snow would kill me and now I’m actually going to die to him.”

He can’t see Jongdae’s expression, but the demon almost sounds hurt when he says, “Don’t say that, hyung. Nobody here is going to kill you.”

“No?” Junmyeon asks as he opens his eyes and meets Jongdae’s gaze. “What else would a demon do to me besides kill and eat me? A demon will only see me as a source of food and will treat me as such. If you’re going to kill me, then I only ask that you do it quickly. I have nothing left to live for anyway.”

Jongdae looks as though Junmyeon had struck him before he straightens to his full height and inhales deeply through his nose. "Hyung, I think you need to rest," he suggests, "The past few days must have been too much for you. You'll feel better after you've slept some more." He rolls up his right sleeve as he walks toward the bed. "I'll see if I can find something for you to eat and bring it to you when you wake up."

Before Junmyeon can even think about protesting, Jongdae strikes the back of his neck, and then Junmyeon is falling back onto the sheets.

When he wakes again, the sky outside is darker, and there is a murmuring sound coming from Junmyeon's right. Blinking to chase away the weight resting on his head, Junmyeon glances over to see Jongdae sitting on a cushion by Junmyeon's bed, holding a book and reading it out loud as though it would soothe Junmyeon's dreams. Junmyeon closes his eyes again, listening to the words flow past Jongdae's lips.

"...cannot believe his eyes," Jongdae reads, "He always thought that his wife, bound to him through an arranged marriage, hated him with every bone in her body, yet here she is, kneeling before him in her bloodstained dress, ready to face the impending death that hangs over both of their heads. He asks her why she came back, but she does not answer and merely looks at him with eyes full of sorrow, and he realizes that she had loved him all along, even if she did not know how to show it."

"Is that _The Tale of the Lonely God_?" Junmyeon finally mumbles, recognizing the lines from his favorite book. "I didn't know you had a copy."

Jongdae folds down the corner of the page and closes the book. "I found it," he says, "There was a wreck, and we went to...scavenge." He pauses, letting the implications hang in midair. "I didn't plan on picking up the book, but it reminded me of you."

"Oh." Junmyeon doesn't question further. "Did you finally read it through to the end?"

Jongdae laughs a little at that, and just like in the past, it manages to draw the faintest smile onto Junmyeon's face. "Today is actually my first time opening the cover," Jongdae admits, "It still bores me, but I can push through when I'm reading it to you."

When they talk like this, it's too easy for Junmyeon to pretend that the war never happened and that Jongdae was still a soldier of the Golden Leaves Palace. However, the illusion is too weak and vanishes in the blink of an eye

He is about to ask Jongdae to read some more, but at that moment, his stomach lets out a loud grumble. Feeling a flush color his neck, Junmyeon resolutely stares at the ceiling, and out of the corner of his eye, he can see Jongdae smiling at him.

"I'll go see if we have something for you to eat," Jongdae says as he places the book on the table and stands from the cushion. When he reaches the door, he pauses and glances at Junmyeon. "Don't go anywhere, hyung. The demons won't hurt you, but I would still prefer it if you're with me when you leave this room."

He doesn't wait for Junmyeon's response before sliding open the door and stepping outside.

Junmyeon sighs and rubs at his stomach as he waits for Jongdae to come back. He doesn’t know what Jongdae is planning but feeding Junmyeon is not something Jongdae would do if the demon intends to kill and devour him. Maybe it’s because Junmyeon is still thin from malnourishment, and Jongdae wants to fatten him up before killing him and distributing the flesh to the inhabitants of the Moonlight Palace.

A small splash sounds from the pool outside, and Junmyeon looks over to see a flash of orange and white swim away. The room feels stuffy, so Junmyeon carefully lifts his foot from the stack of pillows and lowers it to the floor, testing his weight on it before he stands up. Limping out onto the balcony, he leans against the railing and peers into the clear water, watching as the koi swarm to him. Their mouth gape at him, and if they could speak, Junmyeon imagines that they would be clamoring for food.

He watches the koi push and shove at each other and thinks back to his former life in the Golden Leaves Palace. The old comfort and familiarity are gone now, leaving Junmyeon at the mercy of humanity’s greatest enemy. Even without anyone to point it out to him, Junmyeon knows that his position in the Moonlight Palace is the lowest of the low, where the slightest offense could get him killed. Even if the elite demons had ordered that for him to be left alone, Junmyeon’s life is no longer his to control.

He might as well just go along with whatever Jongdae asks of him since he is in no place to decide for himself.

The door slides open, startling Junmyeon because he hadn't heard any footsteps. He meets Jongdae's surprised gaze, and the demon hurries to put down the tray he is carrying before rushing to Junmyeon's side.

"Hyung, you shouldn't be walking around on your own yet," Jongdae chastises as he reaches out to grab Junmyeon's forearm and lead him back to bed. "Lay-hyung says that you tore some ligaments and that you need to stay off your feet as much as possible so your ankle can heal properly."

He lets Jongdae push him to sit on the bed and quietly accepts the bowl of broth that Jongdae hands him. He cradles it in his hands, staring down at the pale liquid and briefly wonders who the cook is because he doubts a demon could have made a broth that smells so heavenly.

He raises the bowl to his lips and cautiously tastes the soup, and it is so flavorful that Junmyeon finishes it within minutes. Jongdae looks pleased when Junmyeon places the bowl back on the tray, and he stands to clean it up.

“When you feel better, I’ll take you around the Moonlight Palace,” Jongdae says as he picks up the tray again. “My brothers want to meet you.” He eyes Junmyeon carefully as though expecting the latter to protest.

“Okay,” Junmyeon agrees, catching the surprised look on Jongdae’s face. He has no reason not to agree. Hiding away in his room will only delay whatever fate the demons have planned for him.

As Jongdae makes to leave, Junmyeon pipes up again. “Will you be with me the entire time?”

Jongdae pauses in the doorway and smiles, and for the first time in a while, Junmyeon feels reassured that things are going to turn out okay, even if that reassurance is coming from a demon. “Of course.”

Jongdae keeps his word, and when Junmyeon’s ankle is healed, he guides Junmyeon through the halls of the Moonlight Palace, pointing out some of his favorite places. The room Junmyeon is staying in is a part of a subsection of the Moonlight Palace called the Crimson Silk Hall. Curtains of the most vibrant red cover the walls of the Crimson Silk Hall. Junmyeon notes that the red is the exact same shade that Jongdae wears.

The entire time they’re walking around, the hairs on the back of Junmyeon’s neck prickle with the sensation of being watched. He knows that it’s probably the other demons in the Moonlight Palace and braces himself for an ambush at any second, but as Jongdae had said, the demons obey the elite demons’ orders and do not dare to approach.

“This is our library,” Jongdae explains as they stop outside a set of doors decorated with a pair of owls. “I think you’ll like it here. There are a lot of books to read if you get bored.” He slides one of the doors to the side and steps inside, beckoning for Junmyeon to follow. Junmyeon obeys, sees the two demons sitting by the window, and freezes.

One of the demons turns to look at him, and his mouth curls up in a gentle smile. “Hello,” the demon greets. “I take it your ankle has gotten better?”

The second demon is watching him too now, and Junmyeon’s throat goes dry. The demon who spoke doesn’t set off any alarm bells in Junmyeon’s mind, but this demon is giving Junmyeon chills with just his gaze. Junmyeon tries to answer the first demon’s question, but his words get stuck in his throat and he can only manage a small whimper.

Jongdae clears his throat. “Xiumin-hyung, you’re scaring him.”

The demon called Xiumin blinks and the pressure crushing Junmyeon disappears. Junmyeon sucks in a rattling breath as his heart rate starts to calm. A warmth coats the tips of his fingers and he just now realizes that it feels like winter in the room despite the warm season.

“It looks like Xiumin-hyung is not used to suppressing his aura,” the unknown demon teases, casting Xiumin a sly glance.

Xiumin sighs and then looks at Junmyeon. “My apologies.”

Junmyeon swallows. “It’s – it’s no problem.”

Jongdae’s fingers wrap around Junmyeon’s wrist, and he pulls Junmyeon forward. “Hyung, I’ll introduce you. This is Xiumin-hyung.” He gestures to the one who had frightened Junmyeon. “He is the leader of the Moonlight Palace. And this,” he nods to the demon who had inquired about Junmyeon’s ankle, “is Lay-hyung. He has the power to heal, and he was the one who treated your injuries after I brought you here.”

“Thank you for your care,” Junmyeon responds automatically as he bows his head to Lay.

“No need to thank me.” Lay waves away Junmyeon’s words. “I do what should be done.”

Xiumin addresses Jongdae. “Are you showing him around the Palace?”

“Yes.”

Xiumin nods and glances at Junmyeon, who gets the strange feeling that the demon is assessing him for something. “Stay away from Baekhyun and Kyungsoo’s place. Baekhyun is in a bad mood today.”

“Okay,” Jongdae replies easily, and then he is ushering Junmyeon out of the library with one arm hovering around the back of Junmyeon’s waist. “We’ll be going now, hyung. See you later?”

Xiumin nods, and Lay calls out, “Take care of yourselves, Jongdae! Junmyeon-ssi!”

“Xiumin-hyung and Lay-hyung are two of my brothers,” Jongdae explains before Junmyeon asks, “They’re also two of the elite demons in the Moonlight Palace.”

Junmyeon thinks back to Xiumin’s ice-blue gaze. “Xiumin-ssi is…” he trails off, not knowing how to describe the feeling of power that emanated from Xiumin the same way light emanated from the sun.

“Xiumin-hyung has an immense aura, and it’s difficult for him to suppress it,” Jongdae explains, “I promise he wasn’t trying to intimidate you or anything. You’re the first human to stay in the Palace for a while, so he forgot how much energy he needs to put into keeping his aura low.”

Junmyeon nods, but he would still rather not stay in a room with Xiumin alone. In his time as a crown prince, he had met many people whose presence commanded respect and some whose presence commanded fear. Xiumin is one of the few whose presence commands both.

“Who are Baekhyun and Kyungsoo?” Junmyeon asks, pulling his thoughts away from Xiumin.

“They’re also elite demons,” Jongdae says, “I’ll introduce you to Kyungsoo sometime, but well…it might be best if you don’t meet Baekhyun. He’s, uh, not that fond of you staying in the Palace.”

Junmyeon tilts his head to one side. “How come?”

Jongdae’s pace slows as he chews on his bottom lip. “It’s nothing you did,” he answers, “Don’t worry too much about it. It’s just…”

Junmyeon waits while Jongdae struggles to say what he wants to say, and at last, the demon only sighs and says, “Baekhyun won’t hurt you or anything, I can promise that, but he won’t be pleasant to be around. I’ll try to stay with you and deflect him if he shows up.”

As they continue the tour of the Moonlight Palace, Junmyeon notices that Jongdae steers clear of the western side of the array of buildings. Remembering that Xiumin had told Jongdae to stay away from Baekhyun’s and Kyungsoo’s quarters, he figures that that is where Baekhyun is and can’t help but wonder if the demon is as bad as Jongdae makes him out to be.

Junmyeon gets his answer a few days later when Jongdae takes him to the southern wing of the Moonlight Palace to meet Kyungsoo and another demon called Chanyeol, and just like the time when Junmyeon first met Xiumin and Lay, he steps into the Sunshot Pavilion only to stop in his tracks.

He recognizes one of the demons sitting at the round table. The taller one, dressed in black leather and sporting bright pink hair, taps his fingers restlessly against the gray stone. Junmyeon can see the orange sparks that sputter with every motion, bouncing off the demon’s fingers to fizzle out on the carved rock.

This is the first time Junmyeon has ever seen him, but the demon is infamous enough that Junmyeon doesn’t need a formal introduction to know who he is.

Infernal Black, the demon who once cursed a kingdom to burn in everlasting flame, is sitting before Junmyeon and speaking casually to the demon next to him, and it sounds like he is getting scolded.

“This is a brand-new table, Chanyeol,” the other demon gripes. “If you ruin it, I swear I’m going to take Baekhyun’s rapier and stab Toben until he’s nothing but torn cloth and bits of cotton.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Infernal Black – _Chanyeol_ – replies, although he doesn’t sound that confident, “Toben never did anything wrong. He just sits there and looks cute.”

“If only you were like that, too,” Chanyeol’s companion mutters, swatting at Chanyeol’s hand when a couple more sparks land on the table. “ _Quit it_.”

As Chanyeol cradles his bruised fingers with a whimper, Jongdae ushers Junmyeon forward. “You’d think you’d have learned by now that annoying Kyungsoo is gonna earn you some bruises,” he teases Chanyeol as he pulls Junmyeon into a seat, and Junmyeon is secretly relieved that Jongdae is between him and Chanyeol.

“We all know that Chanyeol will never learn,” The demon next to Junmyeon waves dismissively, and Junmyeon flinches at the black gauntlet covering the demon’s right forearm and hand. “He’s either an idiot or a masochist. I’m Kyungsoo, by the way. You must be Junmyeon.”

“He’s the one who’s been cooking for you since you got here,” Jongdae adds.

Junmyeon’s response is a little delayed; he never expected an elite demon to know how to cook, much less cook for him, and is even more shocked when Chanyeol pipes up, “I helped!”

One corner of Kyungsoo’s mouth quirks up as he retorts, “You helped watch the food to make sure it didn’t burn.”

Chanyeol acts as though that is the most offensive thing someone could say. “I helped with other stuff, too!” he argues while Jongdae laughs at him. “I helped stir the food, and I peeled the potatoes and carrots like you told me to!”

Kyungsoo breaks out into a full-blown smile at that, and Chanyeol’s pout lessens. Junmyeon watches the interaction with interest. He had expected Infernal Black to be a terrifying presence, yet the demon of fire is much like a child, eager for praise and to help where he could.

Junmyeon gulps when Chanyeol turns to him and says, “Junmyeon agrees that I helped a lot, right, Junmyeon?”

Three pairs of eyes are watching him now, and the back of Junmyeon’s neck burns at the attention. If someone close to Junmyeon were to ask him that, he would tease them a little and say no, but he isn’t sure if Infernal Black is someone he can joke with just yet.

He settles with a shaky smile and says, “Yes, you helped a lot.”

Chanyeol’s mouth stretches into a toothy grin and he looks at Kyungsoo gleefully. Meanwhile, Jongdae squeezes Junmyeon’s knee under the table in encouragement.

Kyungsoo shakes his head at Chanyeol’s antics and pushes a plate of snacks closer to Junmyeon. “Help yourself,” he invites. “I wasn’t sure what you like, so I made a bit of everything that I knew how to make.”

Junmyeon isn’t hungry, but for the sake of first impressions, he chooses one of the small cakes on the plate and takes a cautious bite. The outside of the cake is dry and flaky, but the inside is filled with a sweet and sour jam. When Junmyeon took a closer look, he could see pieces of diced strawberry mixed with the red jam.

“That’s Baekhyun’s favorite,” Kyungsoo says, watching Junmyeon expectantly. “Strawberry shortcake.”

“It’s good,” Junmyeon compliments as he cups his hand below his chin to catch the crumbs. “May I ask where you got the ingredients?”

Kyungsoo brightens at that. “I actually have a garden here. I don’t grow much though since not many demons care to eat human food since it can’t sustain us anymore.”

“Kyungsoo likes to cook,” Jongdae adds. “He was a cook for the Huang family back when he was still human.”

There is a hidden message in Jongdae’s words, and as Junmyeon watches Kyungsoo fidget with his gauntlet, he thinks he understands what Jongdae is trying to say.

“Your cooking is delicious,” he tells Kyungsoo. “I would love to try more of your cooking in the future, if you would be willing to cook for me.”

It feels like Kyungsoo’s answering smile lifts some sort of invisible barrier between them because the next thing Junmyeon knows, both Kyungsoo and Chanyeol are a lot more relaxed with him, enough to tell him stories about the Moonlight Palace while Junmyeon nibbles on some of the other snacks that Kyungsoo made.

“A lot of the demons here are people who asked to become demons,” Chanyeol explains as he entertains himself by blowing smoke rings. “Other people leave them to die, and most of them aren’t ready for death, so we offer to change them.”

Kyungsoo shoots Chanyeol an annoyed look. “No smoking when there’s food on the table,” he growls. Chanyeol shuts his mouth in the middle of making another smoke ring and ends up choking on it. Ignoring Chanyeol’s plight, Kyungsoo continues, “We used to change people no matter what they wanted, but there was an incident where one of them couldn’t stand being a demon and nearly brought the slayers to the Moonlight Palace.”

“What happened after that?” Junmyeon asks.

The air is somber as Kyungsoo says, “We had to kill her. As the Masters of the Moonlight Palace, we must put the safety of the majority over the safety of one.”

“At least we learned from that experience,” Chanyeol sighs. “Next time someone can’t adjust to being a demon, we will just have to put them out of their misery. No matter what anyone else says.”

“But of course, if it’s Chen, then we do as he says no matter what our past experiences may be, isn’t that right?” someone chimes in.

The words are as sour as a basketful of lemons, and the tone is even more acidic. Junmyeon turns to see a demon he hadn’t met yet stride up to them. The newcomer’s white hair reminds Junmyeon of the dandelions that children like to pluck and blow, scattering the seeds into the wind. A chain of jewelry stretches across the demon’s face, resting on the bridge of his nose, and a yellow sleeve interrupts the black leather covering the demon’s body. Judging by how the demon carries himself with confidence, Junmyeon knows that he must be an elite as well.

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo greets. Beside him, Chanyeol stiffens. “What are you doing here?”

Baekhyun scowls. “What, am I not allowed to come here anymore? Is it the _human’s_ space now?” He shoots Junmyeon a venomous stare but still speaks to Kyungsoo. “Don’t forget that I’m also a Master of the Moonlight Palace. I can go where I please.”

Junmyeon is shocked speechless at Baekhyun’s unpleasant demeanor. Even Chanyeol and Jongdae look a little nervous, but Kyungsoo isn’t fazed at all.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Baekhyun exhales sharply through his nose. “Even so, _I’m_ not the one fraternizing with the enemy. Who knows which one of us is going to die this time.”

Chanyeol speaks up, “Baekhyun-ah, don’t be like that.”

“Like what?” Baekhyun snaps, “I don’t think I need to remind you about Kai. After all, you should be the most familiar with what happened to him!”

“Byun Baekhyun!” Kyungsoo growls.

The mood had become bitter in an instant, making Junmyeon shrink away from Baekhyun. Jongdae notices this and grabs one of Junmyeon’s hands in an attempt at comfort.

Meanwhile, Baekhyun raises his voice. “What, am I wrong? I’m telling you, Do Kyungsoo, you’ve become very cowardly lately! When we were voted on what to do with the human, you stayed on the fence and refused to pick a side. Now that the human is here, you’re suddenly best friends! It looks like you knew what you wanted but were afraid to say so in front of the other Masters!”

Kyungsoo stands up, iron gauntlet clenched in a fist, and for a moment, Junmyeon is afraid that he is going to attack Baekhyun. However, Kyungsoo merely barges past Baekhyun, refusing to look at the latter as he stomps away. Unwilling to let him go, Baekhyun follows, still yelling at Kyungsoo’s retreating back.

“Stop right there, Do Kyungsoo! You get angry when someone calls you a coward, yet you run away whenever there’s some conflict? Do you still have any…?”

Baekhyun’s voice eventually trails away, leaving Junmyeon, Jongdae, and Chanyeol sitting in tense silence. Junmyeon is still stunned at the bitterness and hatred in Baekhyun’s words while Jongdae just doesn’t seem like he is in a mood to talk anymore.

After a few moments, Chanyeol stands up, looking sick as he mumbles, “I think I’m going to return to my quarters for a bit.”

“Okay,” Jongdae says, “I’ll come by and visit you later.”

Chanyeol nods, but it doesn’t seem like he actually heard Jongdae’s words as he stumbles off in the opposite direction that Kyungsoo and Baekhyun had gone.

Once Chanyeol had disappeared, Junmyeon turns to Jongdae and asks, “What’s wrong with Baekhyun?”

Jongdae looks like he’s wrestling with himself before he sighs and gives in. “It’s something that happened before I became a demon, so I’ve only heard the stories,” he begins hesitantly, “I hoped that you could hear it from one of the others who were actually present when _it_ happened, but I guess I can just tell you now.”

“You said before that it isn’t something I did,” Junmyeon says, “Was it another human?”

“From what I heard, you aren’t the first human to stay in the Moonlight Palace. The shortened version is that about twenty years ago, an injured human stumbled into the forest and Xiumin-hyung turned him into a demon called Kai. Kai was another elite demon who could teleport, and he was especially close with Baekhyun and Chanyeol. Baekhyun saw him as a little brother to spoil, and Chanyeol…well, he and Kai were lovers.”

Junmyeon swallows. His instincts are telling him that this story is going to end horribly.

“Sometime after Kai became a demon, one of his human friends called Taemin came looking for him, and Kai was happy to ask Xiumin-hyung to protect Taemin from the other demons. Xiumin-hyung agreed, and the other elite demons did not mind Taemin staying in the Palace at all,” Jongdae hesitated, “But then a few weeks after Taemin came to the Palace, an army of slayers arrived, and the demons found out that Taemin had been feeding the slayers information. There was a big fight, and Kai died in the crossfire.”

The bottom of Junmyeon’s stomach disappears. He cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Kai to find out about his friend’s betrayal or how the rest of the elite demons must have felt to see Kai fall to the actions of someone they trusted.

“Why did Taemin do it?” Junmyeon asks more to himself than to Jongdae.

“I think he couldn’t bear to see Kai as a demon,” Jongdae says, “Most people would rather see their friend dead. Taemin was one of those people.”

Junmyeon hums as he plays with the hem of his sleeve. He can understand Taemin’s motive for betrayal considering that demons are monsters to humans. Taemin must have thought that he was granting Kai a mercy by having him killed, but even then, Junmyeon can see that the pain of losing Kai is still raw for Baekhyun and Chanyeol and possibly for the other demons in the Moonlight Palace.

Junmyeon finds out just how fresh the pain still is about two weeks later when he is walking to the library by himself. Jongdae isn’t with him, having been called away for some meeting with the other elite demons.

The prickling on the back of Junmyeon’s neck is especially intense today, and he suspects that there are more demons watching him than usual. He still sees no one as he strides through the corridors, and there is something about the emptiness that unsettles him more than usual.

A heavy weight drops on Junmyeon just as he rounds the corner, and Junmyeon’s breath is squashed out of him as he hits the wooden floor. The weight doesn’t move as Junmyeon lays there, gasping for breath, and as he struggles to twist around, he feels a hand seize him by the back of the neck, forcing his face to the wood.

“Got him,” a rough voice comes from somewhere above him. “Who’s getting first bite?”

There is a shuffling as more demons move about, and then a female voice says, “I am.”

Someone grabs his arm and pushes up the sleeve, and what they’re going to do finally hits Junmyeon. He thrashes about, trying to free himself to no avail. Instead, whoever is pinning him to the floor squeezes the back of his neck with a snarl.

“Struggle all you want, human, but you’re not getting out of this alive! Not after what your kind did to Master Kai!”

Junmyeon feels the teeth clamping down on his skin, and he manages to draw enough breath to cry out, “Jongdae!”

The demon’s fangs pierce Junmyeon’s skin, and the agony forces a choked scream from Junmyeon’s mouth. Through the haze of pain, Junmyeon can hear the demon pinning him yelling.

“Know your place! You are meant to be food for us demons. Don’t you dare speak Master Chen’s name!”

Blood is pooling from Junmyeon’s injured arm, and as the demon who had bitten him pulls away, Junmyeon’s stomach heaves. A chunk of flesh is missing from his arm; the demon had taken so much that the white of Junmyeon’s ulna is poking out from underneath the dark red blood oozing from the wound. The female demon sneers at him, bits of flesh sticking out from between her teeth as she moves away. Another demon takes her place.

They are going to eat him alive.

At that point, the shock takes over, and Junmyeon sinks into a haze. He tries to call for Jongdae again and doesn’t know if he succeeds. He thinks that he can hear his assailants talking above him but has no idea what they’re saying. The second demon hasn’t bitten him yet.

Suddenly, the second demon lets go of his arm and moves away, and something yellow covers Junmyeon’s vision. The weight on his back vanishes, and Junmyeon comes out of his pain-induced stupor long enough to feel someone picking him up. He knows it’s not Jongdae, so he tries to push away, but he’s too weak to do much. The newcomer scoops him up and cradles him firmly despite Junmyeon’s wriggling.

“Don’t let them get away,” the demon holding him says to someone, “The other elites will be here soon. They will deal with them.”

“Jongdae?” Junmyeon calls again.

The demon in yellow doesn’t answer him, but the flashes of color tell Junmyeon that they’re moving through the Moonlight Palace. He can’t recognize anything, not even when the demon stops moving, but he can hear another voice that sounds somewhat familiar.

“Jongdae?” Junmyeon asks again, more desperately this time.

The familiar voice shushes him gently. “Jongdae will be here soon. He’ll be here when you wake up.”

Junmyeon isn’t aware of falling asleep, but when he opens his eyes again, he’s lying in a bed next to a window framed with jade green curtains. Despite his grogginess, he realizes that he’s in an unfamiliar location in the Moonlight Palace, but something is keeping him sedated and he can’t muster the energy to get up.

He flinches just the slightest when a demon leans over him, but he recognizes Lay’s calming smile.

“Junmyeon-ssi,” Lay says softly, “Can you hear me?”

Junmyeon tries to say something in response, but his dry throat catches and he can only manage a choked gurgle. Nevertheless, Lay looks pleased.

“You are in my quarters,” Lay tells him, “The Room of Tranquility. Sehun brought you here when he found you injured, and I have treated your wound. Jongdae is right over there.” He nods at something on the other side of Junmyeon’s bed, and Junmyeon turns to see Jongdae sleeping with his head resting near Junmyeon’s hand.

Junmyeon reaches out, running his fingers through Jongdae’s hair, and the other jolts awake almost immediately at the touch, looking around wildly before his gaze falls on Junmyeon. Relief overtakes Jongdae’s form as he moves closer and brushes the hair out of Junmyeon’s face. “Junmyeon.”

Junmyeon grips Jongdae’s hand in his and closes his eyes with a sigh. At that, Jongdae starts bombarding him with questions, “How is your wound feeling? Does it still hurt? If it still hurts, Lay-hyung can give you some medicine for the pain, but it’ll make you sleepy.”

“Give him a moment, Jongdae,” Lay says as he brings over a cup of water. “He just woke up and his throat is probably drier than a desert.”

Junmyeon reaches for the water with his uninjured arm, and Jongdae helps him sit up so he can drink. The water is heaven for Junmyeon’s throat, and he downs it in seconds before handing the cup back to Lay.

“What happened?” he rasps as he looks around the room.

“You were attacked,” Lay informs him, “Some of the demons who used to be a part of Kai’s command ambushed you outside the library, and Sehun saved you and brought you to me. I healed your bite and your assailants are currently locked up and waiting for Xiumin-hyung’s and Chanyeol’s verdict.”

“The demons who used to serve Kai joined Chanyeol’s command after Kai died,” Jongdae explains, “Chanyeol didn’t send them after you though. He looked terrified when Sehun alerted us.”

“Chanyeol isn’t capable of treachery,” Lay agrees from where he’s measuring out some medicine. “It’s just not in his nature. In fact, I believe that he’s going to come looking for you to formally apologize.” Once the medicine is mixed to satisfaction, Lay brings the cup over and sets it on the bedside table. “Would you like to see your wound? It has completely healed and it’s only a scar now.”

Junmyeon agrees, albeit warily, and Lay carefully unwraps the bandages wound around Junmyeon’s forearm. The scar isn’t as bad as Junmyeon imagined it would be, which is probably a result of Lay’s exceptional healing power. Once it fades, Junmyeon might even hope that the skin would look as good as new. He tries flexing his fingers and is amazed to feel no pain at all.

Lay pushes the medicine cup into Junmyeon’s hand. “I’m keeping you here for a week to keep an eye on you. The attack has caused an uproar in the Palace, and more demons are being vocal about wanting you gone. As long as you’re under my care, no one will try to come and finish you off. Besides, Jongdae will be here to take care of you if I need to step away for anything.”

As Lay predicts, Junmyeon doesn’t sleep well for the first few days after the attack, and Jongdae is more than willing to stay with him so that Junmyeon feels safe. To distract Junmyeon, Jongdae talks about mundane things, such as a complicated recipe that Kyungsoo is trying or the new tea that Lay managed to get his hands on.

One day, however, Jongdae isn’t as animated and naturally, Junmyeon is curious why.

“What are you thinking about?” Junmyeon asks as he reaches for Jongdae’s hand.

Jongdae looks at him, then down at their interlaced fingers. He squeezes Junmyeon’s hand slightly before meeting his gaze and says, “Please become a demon.”

Caught off-guard, Junmyeon inhales sharply. Before he can say anything, Jongdae continues, “If you become a demon, then we won’t have to worry about a repeat of the incident. It will be safer for you to walk around the Moonlight Palace alone. I know that I won’t be able to accompany you every second of the day; I’m not a fool.”

Junmyeon thinks about it. He really does. However, there is something holding him back from saying yes, no matter how earnestly Jongdae is looking at him.

“Please,” Jongdae whispers when he gets no response.

Junmyeon tries, but in the end, he can only sigh. “I can’t.”

Jongdae’s expression breaks a little, but he quickly schools it and turns away, hiding his face from Junmyeon. “I see.”

“I’m sorry.”

Jongdae sniffs. “No need to be sorry, hyung. It was selfish of me to ask this of you when you are still recovering. Please forget I said anything.”

They fall silent. Junmyeon feels like he had accidentally trampled on Jongdae’s heart and has no idea what to say. Jongdae seems like he is contemplating his next words.

Finally, Jongdae stands from his chair and wipes at his face. “I need to go. Xiumin-hyung wants to see me and Chanyeol to talk about the incident. Sehun will protect you until I get back.”

Before Junmyeon can say anything, Jongdae hurries out of the Room of Tranquility, leaving Junmyeon alone with nothing for company except the tweeting sparrow outside the window. Junmyeon watches as the bird hops into the room, glancing around before fluttering to land on Junmyeon’s knee. They stare at each other for a moment before Junmyeon finally asks, “I’m guessing you’re Sehun then?”

He swears the sparrow shoots him an unimpressed look as it ruffles its feathers. Junmyeon tentatively stretches out one finger, smiling a little when the sparrow lets him stroke its head.

“Thank you for saving me from those demons, Sehun-ssi,” he says quietly. “If there is anything I can do for you in return, please let me know.”

The sparrow chirps, closing its eyes as it hunkers down into a fluffy ball. Junmyeon’s smile widens, and he can’t help but find Sehun very cute.

As it turns out, his assumption about the sparrow is wrong because a couple days later, Jongdae reappears with a tall demon in tow and – pretending that their last conversation never happened – proceeds to introduce the demon as Sehun. Junmyeon is still trying to reconcile with the fact that the sparrow he’s been talking to _isn’t_ Sehun and merely glances back and forth between the demon and the sparrow, who both look back at him with identical unimpressed expressions.

“Is something wrong, hyung?” Jongdae asks when Junmyeon doesn’t say anything.

Junmyeon points to the sparrow. “I thought this was Sehun.”

The real Sehun pipes up. “That’s my guard sparrow. His name is Vivi.”

Sehun turns out to be the youngest elite demon in the Moonlight Palace and is also terribly shy, which is why Junmyeon had never seen him before. However, once he gets comfortable, Junmyeon can see that Sehun doesn’t carry himself with the same discipline as the other elites do, most likely due to his age. The elite lounges back in the chair, slouching with his ankles crossed as he talks and gestures, and every wave of his hand sends a small breeze circling the room. It’s rather refreshing.

Kyungsoo comes to visit him one day and, to Junmyeon’s surprise, extends an invitation to join him and Chanyeol on an outing. When Junmyeon asks where they’re planning to go, Kyungsoo admits that there had been a scuffle near the edge of the forest and that he and Chanyeol are planning to take some of their subordinates to collect the corpses.

“Please don’t misunderstand,” Kyungsoo says, “Chanyeol and I mean no ill will with this. We thought that it would be good for you to get out of the Palace for a bit. You can stay in the wagon if you do not want to see the bodies.”

Junmyeon considers the offer and ultimately agrees.

“Hyung, where’s _my_ invitation?” Sehun whines. He had started clinging to Junmyeon’s side, proclaiming himself as the best bodyguard the latter ever had. Junmyeon doesn’t try to chase him off. After all, it isn’t every day that a demon swears to protect a human as vocally as Sehun does.

Kyungsoo sniffs. “I believe Baekhyun is waiting for you. You’ve been bugging him for months about learning how to use a rapier, and he has finally been able to put aside some time to teach you. He won’t appreciate you being late.”

Sehun pales a little before he vanishes in a gust of wind that nearly knocks over the vase of flowers on Lay’s table.

Junmyeon follows Kyungsoo out of the Moonlight Palace. Three wagons are waiting for them outside the front gates, and Junmyeon catches sight of Chanyeol sitting on one of them. The fire demon meets his gaze, offering him a weak smile, and glances away just as quickly.

“He feels responsible for what happened to you,” Kyungsoo explains as he and Junmyeon mount a different wagon. “I expect he’ll try to talk to you soon. He’s just nervous about how you’ll respond.”

Junmyeon rubs the scar on his arm. “I’m not angry with him,” he says slowly, “Lay and Jongdae told me that those demons acted of their own accord. Besides, I’m still alive and my arm is fine now.”

Kyungsoo hums as he looks around the assembled demons, making sure everyone was ready before snapping the reins to urge the horses forward. They travel a short distance in silence before he says, “You know, we almost didn’t let you stay. When we voted on what to do with you, only Xiumin-hyung, Lay-hyung, and Jongdae wanted you in the Palace. Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Sehun wanted you gone, and I was on the fence.”

The confession hurts a little, but Kyungsoo looks like he has more to say, so Junmyeon keeps his mouth shut and waits for the other to finish.

“I’m glad we decided to let you stay though.” Kyungsoo glances at him from the corner of his eyes. “Jongdae wasn’t lying when he said that you wouldn’t go around causing trouble, and Chanyeol and Sehun are quite fond of you now.”

Junmyeon hesitates before he admits, “I thought Chanyeol would hate me. After what happened to Kai.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “Chanyeol does not hate those who are uninvolved. He may want to avenge Kai, yes, and he may have been wilder back when he was a new demon, but the Chanyeol now will not hurt an innocent.”

They arrive at the site, and Kyungsoo stops the wagon a few yards away from the closest body. Junmyeon grimaces as he looks at the corpses strewn across the forest floor. Dried blood and broken weapons litter the small clearing, but there is no stench of decay yet.

Kyungsoo hops off the wagon. “It shouldn’t take long for us to gather the bodies. You can wait here if you want.”

Junmyeon watches as Kyungsoo and the other demons begin to collect the bodies. He is contemplating on joining them, even though the idea of touching a corpse sends goosebumps erupting across his skin, when the wagon creaks and he turns to see Chanyeol climbing on.

“Hi,” Chanyeol says, “I hope you don’t mind?”

Junmyeon moves over a little to make room, and Chanyeol smiles as he settles into the seat. “I’m glad that you decided to come out with us today. I…I know that we promised that the Moonlight Palace would be a safe place for you, and I’m very sorry for the actions of my subordinates.”

Junmyeon repeats what he told Kyungsoo, “Lay and Jongdae told me that you did not order the attack, and there is no lasting damage to my arm. I am not angry with you. Besides, Jongdae also told me about Kai.”

A muscle jumps in Chanyeol’s jaw, and he looks away to watch the other demons haul the corpses onto the wagon. “How much did he tell you?”

“He told me what he had heard from the others. Kai was an elite demon, and he died because his friend Taemin couldn’t bear to see him as a demon and brought a bunch of slayers to the Palace.”

Chanyeol inhales deeply, closing his eyes.

Junmyeon glances at him. “He also said that Kai was your lover.”

Chanyeol makes a muffled noise and covers his face with one hand. Grief hunches his form, and Junmyeon reaches out and places his hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“He was,” Chanyeol agrees thickly. “He _is_. I don’t think it will ever stop hurting, and it’s worse when I see the other Masters because no one has been the same since. Especially Baekhyun. I know Baek isn’t very nice to you, but I promise he knows that you’re not to blame for Kai’s death. He’s just not good at dealing with his emotions in a healthy way.”

“I can imagine,” Junmyeon says, still rubbing at Chanyeol’s shoulder in comfort.

“I’m not trying to excuse him,” Chanyeol says. His voice is a little clearer now. “I just hoped you would understand where he’s coming from.”

The wagon sinks at the same time a pair of thuds come from the back of the wagon. Junmyeon and Chanyeol look back to see that Kyungsoo had dumped two bodies onto the wagon and is walking over to join them.

“I see you two have talked,” Kyungsoo says, gesturing for Chanyeol to scoot over before climbing up. “That reminds me. Has Jongdae asked you to become a demon yet?”

Junmyeon blinks. “How did you know?”

“He’s been worried for you ever since he brought you back.” Kyungsoo snaps the reins, and the line of wagons begins moving. “Not just because other demons might attack you to avenge Kai’s death, but also because some of the younger demons might not be able to control their hunger well enough. We advised our subordinates to keep their distance from you if they haven’t eaten recently, but there is always a chance that something will happen.”

Junmyeon had pushed the issue to the back of his mind over the past few days, but now that Kyungsoo is bringing it up, Junmyeon has no choice but to think about it again.

“What do you two suggest I do?” he asks.

“Speaking from a logical standpoint, you should become a demon,” Kyungsoo replies.

Chanyeol jumps in. “Of course, becoming a demon would mean it would be safer for you to stay in the Palace, but in the end, it’s your choice. We do not mind you being human or demon, and Jongdae would never force you to become a demon. That guy would never do anything that could make you unhappy.”

Junmyeon, unable to come up with a reply, nods in response. They ride in silence for a while, and then Chanyeol is talking again.

“By the way, Kyungsoo-yah, what’s with the blocks of wood that you were holding when you got on?”

Junmyeon hadn’t seen Kyungsoo carrying any wooden blocks, but he sees Kyungsoo automatically pat at the front of his robes where he must have stowed the blocks away.

“I’m going to make something,” Kyungsoo replies.

“You know how to do woodworking?” Junmyeon asks.

Chanyeol’s grin is wolfish as he turns to Junmyeon and says, “Kyungsoo learned how to carve wood because of Baekhyun.”

“ _Chanyeol_.”

Unfortunately, Kyungsoo’s warning tone isn’t enough to deter Chanyeol from exposing him.

“Baekhyun really likes to play with those spinning tops,” Chanyeol tells Junmyeon, ignoring the fact that Kyungsoo is glaring at him from his other side. “So in order to woo him, Kyungsoo learned how to woodwork so he could make tops for Baekhyun. You should see some of the designs. It’s really–ugh!”

Chanyeol cuts himself off to clutch at his stomach while Kyungsoo resolutely stares ahead, acting like he hadn’t just jabbed Chanyeol to shut him up. Junmyeon quickly muffles the puff of laughter that escapes him, not wanting to be Kyungsoo’s next target.

Baekhyun is waiting for them just outside the front gates, and his mouth twists into a fierce scowl when he sees Junmyeon. The latter braces himself for whatever cutting words the elite demon is going to throw at him, but Baekhyun ignores him, turning to Kyungsoo instead. Chanyeol takes the chance to lean down and whisper, “Thanks for coming with us. We’ll see you around?”

Junmyeon realizes that Chanyeol is trying to get him away from Baekhyun and nods, quietly hurrying away while Baekhyun’s back is turned. He heads back to the Crimson Silk Hall, intent on seeing if Jongdae is still awake. He can see the faint glow of candlelight coming from behind the door, so he knocks lightly on the wooden frame and waits.

There is no response, so Junmyeon cracks the door open, peering inside to see if Jongdae is there. He sees a red figure slumped over on the desk, so he slips inside the room, shutting the door behind him before picking his way over to Jongdae. Jongdae’s fingers are loosely wrapped around a brush, so Junmyeon carefully takes the brush and sets it down on the inkwell before trying to rouse Jongdae.

“Jongdae,” he calls softly as he brushes a stray bit of hair away from Jongdae’s face.

Jongdae rouses slowly and flashes Junmyeon a small smile, mumbling something into the crook of his elbow.

“You should sleep in your bed,” Junmyeon says as he urges Jongdae off the desk. “Sleeping at your desk will hurt your neck.”

“I’ll sleep in the bed if you read me a story,” Jongdae tries to bargain, voice still thick with sleep.

Junmyeon can’t help but burst out laughing. “What are you, five?” he asks. “And make sure you change your clothes.”

A whine escapes Jongdae as he sheds his outer robes and climbs into bed. “You should read me _The Tale of the Lonely God_ ,” he suggests, pointing to where the book lay on the table.

Despite his earlier words, Junmyeon goes to retrieve the book, flipping through the pages until he finds the place where they stopped last. “But you think this story is boring.”

“Exactly,” Jongdae mumbles as he burrows deeper under the covers. One pale hand sneaks out and pats the space next to him. “Come here.”

They used to share a bed occasionally back in the Golden Leaves Palace, so Junmyeon has no qualms about climbing into bed with Jongdae, settling down comfortably and opening the book while Jongdae scoots closer to curl up against his side. Once Jongdae stops squirming, Junmyeon begins to read.

“He has no reason to follow the rules of society anymore. After all, he had lost everything years ago, and now, nothing waits for him in the mortal realm. If death comes for him now, then he will embrace it and willingly fall into the pit of damning flames.”

He reads out loud until Jongdae falls asleep and continues reading silently until the candle burns out. In the dark, Junmyeon lays down and observes the pieces of moonlight dancing across Jongdae’s face. Kyungsoo’s words from earlier that day still echo through his mind, and when Junmyeon thinks about becoming a demon and sinking his teeth into raw human flesh, he shudders.

The idea of giving up his humanity frightens him, yet it is all he can think about in the upcoming days. Even as he strolls through the Moonlight Palace with Sehun, his mind is elsewhere until Sehun suddenly pulls him behind a pillar and puts a finger to his lips.

Curious, Junmyeon peers around the pillar to see Kyungsoo and Baekhyun sitting nearby. He and Sehun watch as Kyungsoo offers something to Baekhyun, which the latter accepts, and as the object is changing hands, Junmyeon sees that it’s a black top. Baekhyun doesn’t smile at the gift, but his face does lose some of its harshness as he cradles the toy in both hands as though he was holding a priceless treasure.

Next to Junmyeon, Sehun sniffs. “They’re disgustingly cute when they’re not arguing,” he remarks.

Junmyeon thinks he can hear a bit of wistfulness in Sehun’s voice, but he doesn’t dwell on it, too distracted with how the scene before him is no different from how human lovers would court each other. When Xiumin summons the other elites for a meeting later that evening, Junmyeon sits in the Crimson Silk Hall and watches the koi. He has an epiphany then as he realizes that demons are far more similar to humans than different, despite how adamantly humans accuse demons of being monsters. In the past, Junmyeon would have agreed with them, but now, he wonders if humanity really is lost when someone becomes a demon.

Jongdae’s return breaks him out of his musing, and the demon in red greets him with a somber expression. “There have been reports of slayers frequenting the northern border of the forest,” Jongdae explains. “Xiumin-hyung asked me, Lay-hyung, and Chanyeol to go investigate with him. Baekhyun will oversee the Palace until we return.” He pauses and grimaces.

“I’ll be okay,” Junmyeon reassures him, knowing that Jongdae isn’t completely comfortable with the idea of leaving Junmyeon alone with Baekhyun. “Baekhyun ignores me if I stay out of his way, so I’ll just make sure our paths don’t cross.”

Staying out of Baekhyun’s way is far easier than Junmyeon thought it would be. He stays in the Crimson Silk Hall for the most part, and according to Sehun, Baekhyun spends most of his time in the Black Iron Pavilion with Kyungsoo.

However, as Junmyeon and Sehun feed the koi together, they hear Baekhyun’s voice getting louder and look up to see him following Kyungsoo through the walkway on the other side of the pool. Kyungsoo’s gauntlet is balled in a fist, and he stares resolutely ahead as he walks. Behind him, Baekhyun’s hand is also clenched, and his expression is dark as he chases Kyungsoo down.

“Are you running away again, Do Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun shouts at Kyungsoo’s back, and Junmyeon winces at how familiar the sight is. “Things are already like this, and you still turn your back on me?”

Next to Junmyeon, Sehun hangs his head as he scratches at the floor of the wooden balcony. “They’re fighting again,” he mumbles to himself.

Baekhyun finally stops following Kyungsoo and watches the other stride down the walkway with a bitter gaze. “Fine,” he spits. “Keep walking then! In fact, we don’t need to see each other anymore!”

With that, Baekhyun turns on his heels and stalks back the way he came. Meanwhile, Kyungsoo doesn’t stop walking, and the distance between them grows larger until the two turn corners and vanish from sight.

Even after Baekhyun and Kyungsoo are long gone, the air stays awkward between Junmyeon and Sehun. The elite demon preoccupies himself by rubbing at uneven grooves in the floor while Junmyeon watches as the koi dart around in the water. Vivi hops around them, occasionally pecking at Sehun’s pants and chirping like he was trying to cheer his master up.

It isn’t long before the sound of hurried footsteps approaches them, and they look up to see a demon dash up to them with wide eyes.

“Master Sehun!” the demon gasps. “It’s an emergency! Slayers! In the hall! They have a demon with them!”

Sehun is on his feet at once. Vivi flutters off his knee with an annoyed chirrup and flies away as Junmyeon gets up as well. The two of them follow the demon through the corridor, hurrying towards the main hall.

“How did they get past the gates?” Sehun interrogates as they walk.

“Apparently, they kicked down the gates,” the demon answers. She seems less frightened now that Sehun is heading to the hall, but there is still tension framing her shoulders. “Someone else is alerting Master Baekhyun, but Master Kyungsoo is not here at the moment.”

“You said the slayers have a demon with them. Are they a hostage or a traitor?”

“It looked like a hostage.”

Sehun’s lips thin and he doesn’t ask anything else. Anxiety thrums through Junmyeon’s blood, knowing that the slayers must be well-equipped if they were to barge into the Moonlight Palace with a hostage in tow. With only two Masters present, the demons would be at a severe disadvantage if a fight were to break out.

His suspicion is confirmed when they find the slayers in the main hall. There aren’t many of them, but they carry themselves with an air of confidence that wouldn’t be there if they weren’t prepared to eradicate the Moonlight Palace if need be. The demon hostage is bound in chains, kneeling at the slayers’ feet and quivering in fear.

One of the slayers – most likely the leader of the group – glances at them as they approach, and one corner of his mouth lifts in a smirk. “It looks like our theory is correct,” he drawls. “The former crown prince has been taken in by demons.”

Before Junmyeon can react, Sehun steps forward. “What are slayers doing in the Moonlight Palace?”

The slayer scoffs, “Is this the kind of hospitality that demons offer? Well, I suppose I shouldn’t have expected more. After all, what would a bunch of monsters know about manners?”

Sehun’s jaw tightens, but the slayer isn’t done speaking. “Well, it’s not like we want to stay in a place like this any longer than we have to anyway. Look at the structure. It’s awful. Whoever designed this deserves a silver blade through their heart.”

Junmyeon wants to say that the design of the Moonlight Palace is literally no different from the designs of human buildings. This slayer is obviously trying to provoke the demons into attacking first!

“Master Baekhyun!”

Upon hearing the whisper, Junmyeon turns around to see Baekhyun stalking through the mass of demons. The latter wears a look of stone-cold neutrality as he makes his way to the front to speak to the slayers.

“Who are you, and what business do you have in the Moonlight Palace?” Baekhyun says.

The slayer smiles at that and addresses Sehun. “See, you should learn from the Nightfall Harbinger,” he says. “Ask the person’s name before you interrogate them, although I believe the Nightfall Harbinger should introduce himself first.”

Baekhyun doesn’t even blink at the hidden insult. “Since you already know who I am, I believe that a self-introduction is not necessary.”

“It’s the principle of the thing,” the slayer retorts but waves his hand in dismissal. “But I’ll let it go just this once.”

“Arrogant son of a whore,” a demon hisses from somewhere behind Junmyeon.

The slayer doesn’t hear it. “I am Jaehyuk of the No family,” he announces as though he expects them to bow down upon hearing his name. However, Junmyeon had never even heard of that family name before today. “I am here to strike a deal.”

He kicks the hostage in the back, sending the demon sprawling forward with a yelp. “We offer you this demon. I believe that the Nightfall Harbinger values the safety of his subordinates and will be more inclined to accept our offer.”

Baekhyun’s expression is still neutral as he glances at the demon. “And what do you want in return?”

Junmyeon blinks, and Jaehyuk’s finger is pointing at him. “We’re here for the former crown prince.”

Somehow, the declaration doesn’t surprise Junmyeon, but as Baekhyun shoots him a pointed look, he can’t help but feel nervous. “And what do you want with the former crown prince?” Baekhyun asks.

“We don’t want anything with him,” Jaehyuk corrects. “We’re only here on behalf of his old home. The nobles there miss him, you see, and they don’t feel safe leaving the crown prince in the hands of demons.”

To anyone who isn’t listening closely, it would seem like the nobles were worried about Junmyeon and wanted to save him. However, years of training taught Junmyeon to listen carefully, and he knew that the nobles were worried for themselves, fearing that Junmyeon would return to exact revenge, and wanted Junmyeon dead to protect themselves. Judging by the way Baekhyun’s eyes narrow, the demon isn’t convinced either.

Suddenly, Sehun speaks up. “Hyung,” he says to Baekhyun. “Don’t accept the deal.”

Baekhyun doesn’t answer, but Jaehyuk does. “I see. It looks like you don’t have any concern about your fellow demon here. I must admit I’m surprised. I didn’t think a demon would choose a human, but then again, I suppose you would be reluctant to let your food go. But Nightfall Harbinger, I advise you to accept the deal. I would hate to have to resort to violence in order to retrieve the former crown prince from you.”

A demon at the back of the crowd calls out, “Master Baekhyun, please accept!”

“No, you can’t!” Sehun cries, “Junmyeon-hyung is important to Jongdae-hyung!”

Baekhyun’s mouth curls into a snarl at that. “Be quiet, Sehun!”

Sehun flinches and falls silent, and even though Baekhyun doesn’t command it, the rest of the demons immediately stop talking as well. Baekhyun exhales and glares at Junmyeon, although there is no venom in his gaze. Junmyeon knows what Baekhyun is going to do and braces himself for it.

“Very well.” Baekhyun turns back to Jaehyuk. “We’ll accept the trade.”

“No!” Sehun yells.

Jaehyuk smiles. “A wise choice, Nightfall Harbinger.”

Junmyeon steps forward at the same time one of the slayers pushes the demon towards Sehun. Meanwhile, Sehun grabs Baekhyun's hand and begs, “Hyung, you can’t! If Xiumin-hyung and Jongdae-hyung find out–”

Baekhyun’s patience runs out then and he wrenches his hand from Sehun’s grasp. “So what if they find out!” he snaps. “What are they going to do? Kill me?”

Before Sehun could say anything else, Jaehyuk starts to laugh. “I must say, Nightfall Harbinger, I quite like your personality. It’s a shame that you are a demon, otherwise I think we would have gotten along quite well. Your little companion, on the other hand, is rather childish. You should teach him better.”

Baekhyun’s expression darkens at that, but Jaehyuk doesn’t stop talking. “Also, I should tell you that we will be back in a couple days. I expect a better show of hospitality then.”

Confusion briefly flashes across Baekhyun’s face. “We have nothing else to discuss with you.”

“Oh, but we have something to do here,” Jaehyuk’s face twists with glee. “The Convent of Slayers has decided to organize a culling. We think that demons can prove to be useful for warfare and plan to assess all of the demons in the Moonlight Palace. If a demon can resist eating humans, then they will be recruited as a weapon for battle. Any demon that attacks and devours humans will be eliminated. Therefore, when we return in a couple days, we hope to see all demons doing their best to act as humane as–”

Baekhyun moves faster than Junmyeon had ever seen before. One moment, the demon is standing with a thunderous look on his face, and the next, he is a black blur streaking across the hall. There is the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and then Jaehyuk is stumbling backward into the arms of the other slayers with one hand over his cheek. The hall freezes in shocked silence save for Jaehyuk’s pained cry, and nobody dares to make a move as Baekhyun pushes Junmyeon and the demon hostage behind him and advances on Jaehyuk with fury in his eyes.

“Every time I see one of you, I’m amazed at how arrogant you are,” Baekhyun snarls lowly. Unlike the past fits of rage that Junmyeon has seen from him, Baekhyun’s wrath this time is quiet like a serpent coiling to strike. It sends shivers down Junmyeon’s spine and a ripple of unease through the rest of the demons. “Do you think you can step inside _my_ home, insult _my_ people with your no-name family, and walk out like you’re a gift to the world?”

The slayers fidget but none of them have the courage to strike first. Jaehyuk whimpers as he scrambles backward, having lost his former bluster. “You-You wouldn’t dare,” he stutters, “We have back-up outside, and–”

“And what?” Baekhyun unsheathes his rapier. “Are they going to assess and kill me?”

Just as he raises his rapier, a loud crash sounds from outside. Not even a few moments later, a slayer comes running in and charges straight for Baekhyun with his sword raised. Baekhyun’s expression morphs for a moment, and then he evades the attack and lunges forward with his own. The two of them clash a few times before breaking apart, and Baekhyun retreats a few paces. “Seo Minwoo.”

Junmyeon had recognized the newcomer, too. Seo Minwoo is a slayer known for his skill and the only one who has been able to kill more than three elite demons so far. Back when Junmyeon was still the crown prince, he would hear people speculating that Minwoo might be the only slayer who would have a chance of standing toe-to-toe with Fallen Snow. However, Junmyeon wonders if Baekhyun had crossed paths with Minwoo before since the demon had looked as though he recognized the other.

Minwoo turns to Jaehyuk. “Get up.”

Jaehyuk climbs to his feet. “Hyung! The Nightfall Harbinger attacked me!” he shouts. “Hurry up and kill him!”

Junmyeon doesn’t know how the situation devolves from there. All of a sudden, he is surrounded by demons and slayers as they fight, swinging and clawing at each other with bloodlust. He tries to stay out of the way and the moving bodies jostle him this way and that until Baekhyun appears in front of him and seizes him by the arm, pulling him out from the chaos and dragging him out of the hall, Sehun’s wrist captured firmly in his other hand.

Junmyeon doesn’t recognize the place that Baekhyun takes them to, but he guesses that it’s the Black Iron Pavilion judging by the black walls around them. Baekhyun stops before a blank stone wall, which shimmers and changes into a door when he swipes a hand across the surface. Sliding open the door, Baekhyun pushes Sehun through first before turning to Junmyeon.

“ _You_!” Baekhyun hisses, seizing Junmyeon by the collar and shoving him inside so roughly that Junmyeon stumbles over his feet and falls. “I hate you so much!”

Junmyeon remains where he had fallen, head bowed and silent. After all, how could he say anything after seeing that Baekhyun’s eyes are wet?

“How many times have I said that bringing a human into the Moonlight Palace would only bring trouble?” Baekhyun spits. “The others didn’t listen to me and now look where we are!”

“Hyung,” Sehun says. “What do we do now?”

“What else is there to do?” Baekhyun yells. “The slayers never intended to let us go from the start! What else is there to do other than fight?”

He stops and stands there, chest heaving with ragged breaths. “You,” he says to Junmyeon as he tugs something off his finger. “Come here.”

It’s the most civil Baekhyun has been with him so far, so Junmyeon edges closer, flinching when Baekhyun suddenly grabs his hand and places a ring around Junmyeon’s thumb.

“If you want to live, then don’t take that off. Do you understand me?”

“What–?” Junmyeon starts to ask, but Baekhyun cuts him off.

“Don’t waste time with questions! Do you understand or not?”

Junmyeon clamps his mouth shut and nods.

Satisfied with Junmyeon’s answer, Baekhyun turns to Sehun. “You take him out of here. Whatever happens, do not go off on your own.”

Sehun stiffens. “Hyung, you’re not coming with us?”

Baekhyun’s expression twists as though someone had hurled a wagonful of half-rotten meat in front of him. “Kai’s killer is here. How can I leave when he dares to step foot in the Palace a second time?”

Now, Junmyeon finally understands. The reason Baekhyun had looked so heartbroken when Minwoo entered the main hall is that Minwoo had killed Kai.

At that, Sehun lets his tears trail down his cheeks. “What about Kyungsoo-hyung?” he asks. “We can hold out until he gets back!”

Mentioning Kyungsoo’s name only makes Baekhyun angrier. “Who cares if Kyungsoo comes back of not!” he growls as he steps back out of the hidden corridor. “Do you think I can’t stand on my own feet without him around?”

“Hyung–” Sehun starts, but it’s too late. Baekhyun slams the door shut, and the corridor seals itself off, once again assuming the part of an innocuous wall.

Sehun loses it then as he hits the wall with his fists. “Hyung! Hyung, come back! How can you tell us to run while you go back and–and–!”

He doesn’t dare finish the sentence and breaks out in sobs instead. Junmyeon feels his heart break a little as well, pain stabbing through the fear writhing inside him. He glances down the corridor and reaches out to grab Sehun’s shoulder. “Come on. Once we get out, maybe we can find a way to sneak back in.”

Wiping his eyes, Sehun sniffs and nods, and the two of them begin to sprint down the hallway. It twists and turns a couple of times before they finally see the end, and Sehun quickens his pace and stops just before the door, cracking it open slowly to make sure there are no slayers around.

“It’s Kyungsoo-hyung!” Sehun says. Junmyeon steps up to the door and peers out just in time to see Kyungsoo dash past with a hard look, black gauntlet glinting in the sunlight.

He and Sehun glance at each other, and then Sehun is slipping out, head turning this way and that as he scans the area for any slayers hiding in the trees. When he doesn’t see anyone, he beckons for Junmyeon, and the latter follows him out.

“The ring that Baekhyun-hyung gave you can make you invisible,” Sehun murmurs in Junmyeon’s ear. “Rub the runes on it once to hide and rub it again to come out.”

Junmyeon swipes his thumb across the sigils once to experiment. He doesn’t feel anything, and the ring doesn’t react in any way, so he thinks it’s broken until Sehun says, “It’s working. I can’t see you anymore.”

Junmyeon runs his finger across the ring again, looking at Sehun to ascertain that he isn’t hidden anymore. Sehun nods once and then urges him to hide again.

Invisible, Junmyeon follows Sehun as the other leads the way around the Palace, heading for the main gate. As they approach the toppled gates, Junmyeon realizes with trepidation that the Palace is too quiet. He should be hearing sounds of battle like howls of pain and clashing weapons, but he hears nothing and that scares him.

He and Sehun slow their paces once they’re inside the Palace, carefully keeping to the walls as they creep their way through the corridor to the Wintry Hall. Finally, as they round the second-to-last corner, voices reach their ears, but it doesn’t sound like Baekhyun or Kyungsoo. Instead, Junmyeon’s stomach drops when he recognizes it to be Jaehyuk’s nasally voice. He holds his breath, silently speaks a prayer, and then he and Sehun turn the last corner.

It feels like someone had punched Junmyeon in the gut, and beside him, Sehun barely manages to choke back a cry. Before anyone can notice them, Junmyeon quickly guides Sehun behind a pillar, where the two of them hide behind the lace curtains that used to be as white as freshly picked cotton.

None of the slayers give any inkling that they had noticed them, too focused on the spectacle in the center of the Wintry Hall. Jaehyuk’s back faces Junmyeon, but the latter can easily imagine the look of disgust on the slayer’s face.

“These two are elite demons?” Jaehyuk scoffs as he glares down at Baekhyun’s unmoving body. “I expected them to put up a better fight. Especially the Nightfall Harbinger.”

Junmyeon expects Baekhyun to spit some insult in response or at least get off his knees and drive his rapier through Jaehyuk’s neck, but the Master doesn’t move.

Jaehyuk’s hand shoots out and grabs a handful of Baekhyun’s hair, pulling back to reveal Baekhyun’s slack, bloodstained face. “Why don’t you get up and keep fighting, huh? Weren’t you going to kill me?” he taunts before letting go and kicking Baekhyun’s corpse over. Baekhyun topples and hits the floor with a thud, and his rapier clatters to the ground next to him.

Anger burns in Junmyeon at the action, and he watches from his hiding spot as Jaehyuk pauses and bends to pick something up. Junmyeon is too far away to see what the object is, but he can tell that it’s black, and when Sehun inhales sharply next to him, he realizes that it must be the top that Kyungsoo had given Baekhyun a while back.

Jaehyuk snorts as he scrutinizes the top. “What’s this, a top?” A huff of derisive laughter escapes him. “I can’t believe this. The Nightfall Harbinger acts proud to be a demon, but who knew that he still secretly clung to human objects? Pathetic!”

Some of the slayers laugh, and one of them shifts just slightly to reveal Kyungsoo. Like Baekhyun, Kyungsoo died kneeling. His bloody gauntlet hangs limply at his side, and a silver sword protrudes from his chest.

Junmyeon’s hands tremble as he clutches at the curtains. He doesn’t want to watch, but at the same time, he can’t look away.

Meanwhile, Jaehyuk approaches Kyungsoo’s body. “Who the hell is this anyway? He’s an elite demon, but I’ve never heard of him before. Hyung, do you know?”

Minwoo, who had been watching from the side this whole time, replies, “An elite demon who has extraordinary strength. He hasn’t caused as much havoc as Fallen Snow, Infernal Black, and Nightfall Harbinger, so there isn’t much about him in the records.”

Jaehyuk snorts at that. “A nobody dared to challenge us? Preposterous. For a no-name demon, he was quite eager to defend the Nightfall Harbinger, only to die almost immediately when some slayer stabbed him in the heart.” His eyes narrow. “I must admit, they do have some good acting skills though, pretending that they’re capable of camaraderie like us.”

“I don’t know,” another slayer mumbles. “They seemed more like lovers to me.”

Jaehyuk rolls his eyes. “Please, as if monsters like them would be capable of love. They aren’t humans anymore. Love is a foreign concept to them. Besides, who on earth could possibly love the Nightfall Harbinger? His attitude was atrocious.” With that, he drops Baekhyun’s top and stomps on it, and the splintering of wood echoes loudly through the Wintry Hall.

“That’s Baekhyun-hyung’s top,” Sehun mumbles lowly. Junmyeon looks at him and sees that his eyes are bloodshot. “That was a gift from Kyungsoo-hyung.”

The slayers are still talking amongst themselves, but Junmyeon no longer hears them. The blood rushing through his ears block everything else, and the only things his prickling eyes see are Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. He inhales a shaky breath and reaches out to Sehun, gripping the demon’s hand and hoping that it would comfort the other in some way. When his chest begins to feel tight, Junmyeon exhales as steadily and quietly as he can.

When he notices that he can see his own breath, Junmyeon has to do a double-take and exhales again to make sure he isn’t seeing things. Sure enough, his breath manifests once again in a small, white cloud, and when a bout of shivering hits him, Junmyeon realizes that the Wintry Hall has become abnormally cold.

The slayers have noticed it too, and many of them unsheathe their words as they look around uneasily. Jaehyuk has stopped talking, and even Minwoo looks tense.

When the first snowflake drifts into the room, one of the slayers finally loses his nerve.

“Oh, heavens. It’s _him_ ,” he whimpers. His hands tremble from a combination of fear and cold as he clutches his sword. “Fallen Snow.”

The temperature continues to drop. Junmyeon’s teeth chatter, even as Sehun pulls him into a protective embrace. Blossoms of ice bloom on the walls, crackling slightly as they grow to the size of dinner plates. A few slayers falter and retreat a few paces before their courage gives out. They turn and flee, only to scream in agony a few moments later from somewhere out of sight.

“The others are back,” Sehun almost sobs into Junmyeon’s shoulder. “Xiumin-hyung is back.”

His words act like a summoning ritual because, at that moment, Xiumin appears above their heads. He floats down like one of the snowflakes, slow and light, as though the smallest gust of wind could blow him away. An ethereal light envelopes his figure, bathing him in unsurpassed grace and beauty, and as Junmyeon crouches in the quiet power that emanates from Fallen Snow, he finally understands how people could have mistaken the demon for a god.

Despite how swift the slayers were when it came to killing Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, none of them dare to move in the presence of Xiumin. Jaehyuk looks around at his fellow slayers expectantly, as though waiting for someone else to charge first before making his move. However, as Xiumin opens his eyes and stares straight at him, Jaehyuk finally loses his nerve, too.

Unlike the other slayers, Jaehyuk lets out a yell and charges straight for Xiumin, thrusting his sword out as though to stab the demon through the heart. As casually as swatting a fly, Xiumin raises one hand and sends Jaehyuk flying across the hall and crashing into a pillar. There is a sound of something shattering, and the slayer breaks into pieces, shards of ice skittering across the floor as the rest of the slayers watch in horror.

They begin to race for the exit before the last bit of bloody ice settles, clamoring to be the first one out of the Wintry Hall. The icy blossoms on the walls begin to glow, and fresh waves of cold pulses from them, sending a flurry of snow through the Wintry Hall. When the snow settles, the slayers are covered in a layer of ice, frozen into eternal statues. Except one.

Minwoo still stands, and his eyes are wide in wonder as he gazes at Fallen Snow.

Junmyeon is distracted then as Chanyeol and Jongdae burst into the Wintry Hall, fire and lightning crackling in their hands as they survey the room. Chanyeol’s gaze flickers over to the corner where Junmyeon and Sehun are hidden, and the glare on his face drops as he hurries over. “Sehun!”

Jongdae turns and follows Chanyeol, but his eyes continue to dart around. “Where’s Junmyeon?” he demands when he’s close enough. “Did you hide him somewhere?”

Junmyeon remembers that Baekhyun’s ring is still protecting him, so he rubs a finger across the sigils. Upon seeing Junmyeon, Jongdae’s expression morphs from worry to relief, and he wastes no time in throwing his arms around Junmyeon’s shoulders.

“We came back as soon as we got Baekhyun’s signal,” Chanyeol says as he rubs Sehun’s back. “Lay-hyung is hanging back a little, but he’ll be here soon to fix everyone up.”

Junmyeon stiffens at that because Chanyeol doesn’t _know_ and he doesn’t want to be the one to have to break it to him. Luckily for him, Sehun does it instead, telling Chanyeol and Jongdae that Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and the other demons who fought the slayers in the Wintry Hall are dead. Little by little, Chanyeol cracks, and Junmyeon’s tears finally escape as Chanyeol breaks down in denial.

“You must be mistaken,” Chanyeol says, shaking his head. “They’re just tired. They’ve been fighting hard, so they just decided to sleep a little after Xiumin-hyung got here.”

“I’m not!” Sehun cries. “One of _them_ kicked Baekhyun-hyung, and you know Baekhyun-hyung and Kyungsoo-hyung would _never_ stand for that!”

Chanyeol stares blankly at Sehun before spinning around and marching over to Baekhyun’s and Kyungsoo’s corpses. Junmyeon tries to block out how Chanyeol begs them to wake up and say something or punch him for returning so late. Instead, he focuses on how Jongdae trembles in his arms and watches as Xiumin approaches Minwoo.

“Did you see what you wanted to see?” Xiumin asks Minwoo softly. There is a piece of their conversation that Junmyeon missed while he was preoccupied with Chanyeol and Jongdae. “Did the deaths of my brothers clear up your misgivings?”

Junmyeon wants to scream when Minwoo lowers his head. He wants to shout at him, tell him that he has no right to look like he’s the one who lost everything when Chanyeol, Sehun, and Jongdae are mourning over Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. But there is no energy in his body, so he continues to watch and listen as silent tears run down his cheeks in rivulets.

“They have,” Minwoo answers. “But what is there for me to do? It is my word against the world’s, and I cannot win against the general masses.”

“Indeed, you cannot,” Xiumin agrees. “And you, in your search for humanity among demons, have become a demon yourself. It will be torture if you continue as a slayer, but we can never truly accept you if you were to become a demon. Not after today.”

“Then it seems my time ends here,” Minwoo acknowledges, bowing his head to Xiumin.

There is a pause, and Xiumin asks, “You would give up so easily?”

Minwoo’s mouth quirks up in the faintest of smiles. “It would be an honor to die by your hand.”

If Xiumin says anything in response, Junmyeon doesn’t hear it. He sees the flurry of snow that begins to swirl when Xiumin raises a hand. The snow surrounds Minwoo, fluttering about in a mini snowstorm, and when it finally dissipates, there is nothing left of the slayer. There are no cries of pain or terror, and it is the most peaceful form of death that Junmyeon has seen today.

He doesn’t remember everything that happened afterward. He knows that he helped clean up the Palace, lining up the bodies of the demons who perished in the battle. He can recall attending Baekhyun’s and Kyungsoo’s burial, watching with blurry vision as their shared ice coffin is lowered into the ground. He spends most of his days lying in bed with Jongdae, who now spends almost every waking second at Junmyeon’s side. Junmyeon doesn’t know if Jongdae is seeking comfort or fears losing Junmyeon, but he doesn’t complain and is happy to reciprocate Jongdae’s gestures of affection if it means reassuring the other.

It’s when they’re sitting on the balcony, huddled close as Jongdae naps with his head on Junmyeon’s shoulder, that Junmyeon thinks about becoming a demon again. This time, as he looks down at Jongdae’s sleeping face, he doesn’t shy away from the idea. After all, he realizes how close he has become with the other demons. Sehun addresses him as hyung, calling him a brother despite his humanity. Chanyeol has taken up cooking in Kyungsoo’s absence, always bringing food to Junmyeon and attempting a weak smile that looks more like a grimace. Lay stops by to check in on him, always offering a serene smile that promises Junmyeon that everything will be okay. Xiumin doesn’t appear before him, but the demon’s presence in the Moonlight Palace is enough to reassure Junmyeon that they will survive. Jongdae, who has been by his side since the beginning, stays next to him even now, never once blaming Junmyeon for Baekhyun’s and Kyungsoo’s deaths.

When Junmyeon first arrived at the Moonlight Palace, he had nothing to lose. Now, he has everything.

He visits the White Frost Tower for the first time and kneels across the table from Xiumin as he asks the other to turn him into a demon. Xiumin takes a while to respond, and when Junmyeon is afraid that the other would refuse, Xiumin sets down his cup of tea and says, “Alright.”

They arrange a date for Junmyeon to settle into one of the rooms in the White Frost Tower so that it would be more convenient for Xiumin to watch over his transformation. Junmyeon lies down gingerly on the white sheets as Xiumin sets up for the ritual.

“Are you always the one who changes someone?” Junmyeon asks as he shifts to a more comfortable position.

“I am,” Xiumin confirms as he lifts a brush out from a box. “I changed every demon in the Moonlight Palace and the ones who are no longer with us.”

The door slides open, and Lay steps in, cradling a cup of some steaming drink in his hands. He sets it on Junmyeon’s bedside table and whispers words of luck before leaving just as quickly.

“Who changed you then?” Junmyeon inquires.

One corner of Xiumin’s mouth curls up. “I changed myself. It’s been over two hundred years, so I can’t remember every detail. I can only remember dying and waking up with a new role of culling humanity, but obviously, I don’t go around killing humans on a whim anymore.”

“’Culling humanity?’” Junmyeon repeats, “Why do you say that?”

Xiumin traces the bristles of the brush with one finger. “It’s a strange thing, and as far as I know, it has only happened to me. There was a voice speaking to me when I was in that limbo between life and death.” His gaze flicks to Junmyeon, and Junmyeon can’t help but gasp silently at how empty Xiumin’s eyes are.

“It told me to devour every human.”

A shiver crawls down Junmyeon’s spine. “So you did, but then you stopped,” he croaks. “Why?”

“That’s a story for after you wake up.” Xiumin inclines his head towards the cup that Lay had brought in. “And the sooner you change, the sooner you can wake and hear the rest of it.”

Junmyeon picks up the cup and downs the contents in a few gulps, ignoring the heat that burns his throat as the poison goes down. As Lay had promised, the poison works quickly and painlessly, paralyzing his body little by little until Junmyeon’s body stops working.

The last thing Junmyeon sees is the tip of the brush dragging across his body as Xiumin begins painting the runes. Then, he sees no more.

**Author's Note:**

> Little fun fact: Toben is a stuffed dog that Chanyeol's sister gave him back when he was a kid. As a demon, he still takes care of it and doesn't let anyone else (except Kai) touch it.
> 
> Another fun(?) fact: Vivi isn't just any old sparrow. Sehun created Vivi by carving a chunk of flesh out of the right side of his waist and imbuing it with demonic energy. As a result, Sehun knows anything and everything that Vivi experiences. He knew that Junmyeon was being attacked because Vivi was following the latter around that day.
> 
> [my curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/xAoneko) || [my twitter](https://twitter.com/xAoneko98)


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